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5 Strength Training Exercises for Runners – Diets In Review (blog)
5 Strength Training Exercises for Runners Diets In Review (blog) Cross training day is the time to do something other than your sport to help prevent injury from repetitive stress and work on activities that help you do what you do better.
Most these exercises come from Pilates- a great cross training method for runners. Additionally when runners come to me with soreness or hip pains, I like to work hip mobility exercises. Try lying down with a theraband wrapped over the foot. Holding both ends, circle the leg without moving the pelvis. You can get some great stretches with the band too! Http://corealignpilates.com
See on www.dietsinreview.com
How to Play Better Golf- Spinal Rotation
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How do you play better golf if your spine does not rotate?
If you are new to golf or want to improve your golf swing why not include some body basics in your golf basics. Are you looking to improve your game, whether it be golf, tennis, baseball, hockey, basketball or skiing, spinal movement is essential for rotational sports.
Notice the natural curves in the diagram.
Have someone take a picture of you standing from the side. Is your head forward of your shoulders, does you low back have a big curve or is it flat? Does your spine need a tune up? Keeping your spine moving is crucial to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.
*If you are experiencing pain or burning in your extremities, consult a physician, physical therapist or experienced chiropractor before doing these exercises. If you have low bone density, osteoporosis, stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or scoliosis, certain spinal movements could be dangerous so please refrain from spinal movement until consulting with a PMA certified pilates instructor, or physical therapist. Take advantage of my free phone consultation or my discounted introductory session.
The following exercises will help keep your spine healthy and bring movement back to stiff and stuck areas.
Your ability to rotate the torso is a integral part of the golf swing.
Cross your arms over your chest and lift up through your waist.
Imagine a rod through your head, down your spine and think about turning your body around that rod as you inhale. Notice that when you inhale, the diaphragm helps your spine lengthen which allows you rotate further.
Exhale and return to center and repeat on the other side.
Start with 15-20 reps. to each side in a slow and controlled effort taking note of what feels good and what feels stuck in your spine.
Look again at the diagram, and imagine, the spines in the back moving to the opposite side of your rotation, one section at a time and then back as your de-rotate back to the center.
If one side is different or there is an area of discomfort, stiffness or immobility there are additional exercises and imagery I give to my clients to get un-stuck.
Check out this video where you will see the rotation in the golf swing.
How To Play Golf Better
Are You Considering Golf Lessons this summer?
Do you want to learn to play golf better with some basic golf exercise routines?
Golf and rotational sports such as baseball and tennis are whole body sports which require in my opinion, the whole body training methods of pilates and corealign.
Join me in this summer long series of looking at the components and requirements of a powerful and fluid golf swing.
- I will empower you to rotate your spine with less effort and uncoil it with power.
Do your neck and shoulders suffer from your golf?
- Learn how to find strength and mobility through the shoulders- your neck will love you for it.
How would it be to have more core power?
- I will teach you about how to connect with your abdominals and deep spinals muscles for a more powerful and fluid swing.
- Learn how leg strength, hips, ankles, and how you stand on your feet all play into a powerful or a dysfunctional golf swing.
Start working on your core exercises by signing up for my free newsletter. Stay tuned for my first subject on Golf and Rotational Sports- Spinal mobility and warm-ups for connecting the brain and the body.
All American Betsy
CoreAlign for a stronger stance
Pilates for Athlete’s Shoulder Mobility and Golfers
I love using the Orbit board for golfers and would add some shoulder blade mobility exercises before the one shown of this video to warm up.
Improve your golf swing with these and more great shoulder exercises. Contact me for a FREE consultation. I am located at Orchard and Buckley Road Centennial, Colorado, 80015.
Pilates Can Provide Better Pelvic Control for Golfers
Pelvic control will prevent lower back injury
Pelvic control is very important for golf in terms of finding power behind the swing as well and follow through. It goes without saying that good strength and mobility in this area will prevent lower back injury.
Please contact me for a FREE 30 minute consultation to discuss Golf activities, other sports interest, strengthening, rehab, or other Pilates questions.
Ron Fletcher Pilates Conference sheds light on the history of Pilates and its evolution
Pilates Shared Traditions Panel Discussion
Having been filled with information, inspiration and wisdom after a day of workshops, our day ended with an unprecedented and history making event. Thanks to Kyria Sabin, of Fletcher Pilates we were privileged to hear a panel discussion with master teachers from almost every Elder’s lineage. The panel consisted of Brett Howard, Amy Alpers (Romana Kryzanowska), Michele Larson (Eve Gentry), Deborah Lesson & Jillian Hessel (Carola Trier), Cara Ressser & Blossom Leilani Crawford (Kathy Grant), Kyria Sabin & Diane Severino (Ron Fletcher.) Moderated by founder of Pilates Anytime, Kristi Cooper, this fun and lively discussion kept me on the edge of my chair.
Shared Traditions Panel Discussion at the Ron Fletcher Conference
A bit of intensity filled the air when Brent Howard and Amy Alpers talked about why Romana felt she was the one teacher-heir to Pilates’ work and how she felt about Ron Fletcher. They explained her unique background as a classical Ballerina where as the others were modern dancers and choreographers during a time of prolific creativity in the modern dance world. This explains why Romana would not be interested in taking the work and enhance or add to it, yet Carola, Kathy and Ron naturally felt the need to enhance the work for their own purposes and background however, never fundamentally changed the work with the exception of using a neutral pelvis although Ron never liked this term. Throughout the discussion there were two clear threads of similarity. One, was the adherence to the principles of Pilates’ work, ie. looking at the whole body, providing healing to broken bodies through precise movements, and using the breath to facilitate movement and cleanse the body to name a few. Secondly, was a clear reverence shown among the teachers for one another as they talked about their respective elder’s mutual respect for each other, their communication, cross referrals and friendships. Cara and Blossom talked about having been sent to the other elders to learn. Julian Hessel talked about her unique experience of training with three of the elders: Kathy Grant, Carola Trier and Ron Fletcher.
Even though there exists a split between the two groups in the Pilates World, the Romana people with the United States Pilates Association and the Pilates Method Alliance with its large umbrella of many teachers and schools from different lineages, it was clear that the similarities are greater than the differences, the intentions and purposes are the same and the respect for one another’s lineage and differences in this group was there without a doubt. It is up to all of us teachers to maintain that respect by learning about and from teachers of different lineages and never forgetting the underlying purpose of our work, to help and heal people’s bodies holistically with movement.
Stay tuned for more conference highlights.
All American Betsy
What Does the Pelvis Have to do with Exercises for Back Pain ?
Do you want to have better SEX?
Now that I have your attention, lets focus on your pelvis and exercises for back pain.
Have you been in search of core exercises for back pain or just exercises for strengthening the core?
Did you know your back pain could be from your pelvic floor?
Many are not aware that the bones of the pelvis move- notice the three joints in the diagram.
“…movement in the pelvis is connected with the movement of the legs and spine, which is why many pains in the lower back and malposition of the legs have an invisible origin in the pelvis,” Eric Franklin.
Franklin’s Pelvic Power book outlines many awareness and pelvis exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor.
For any exercise program to be successful and safe one must learn to use the pelvic floor in a way which encourages dynamic strength rather then tightness. Thus, simply doing a kegel addresses one muscle rather that the many muscles involved.
“So we see a slack or overstretched pelvic floor is connected to an arched back posture. This is why an arched back posture is found more often with women than men, since men tend to tense their pelvic floor.” Eric Franklin
A pelvic floor that is either tensed or slack is deconditioned and will get big payoffs from exercises to help bring awareness to the area- an essential step in making any change.
Men and women attending my bi-weekly ‘core basics mat classes‘ and ‘introductory reformer classes‘ explore how the pelvic bones move and apply Eric Franklin’s fundamental concepts to Pilates and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles while allowing for dynamic movement of the pelvis. The Pelvic floor is considered an essential part of the “core” muscles, so any exercises for core strengthening must include dynamic movement of the pelvis and its muscle group.
For more information on eliminating your nagging back pain, Click Here to receive my 5 Simple Steps to Relieving Back Pain. To schedule a FREE phone consult or learn about Pilates and how it can change how your body moves and feels, capture my phone number in the QR code below or call direct 303-532-6152 — Betsy.
Is Body Repair and Auto Repair Alike?
Get the most out of your investments
Would you get your car aligned if your tires were unevenly worn? You might swap them around to wear the other side, but unfortunately we can’t do that with our body parts. If you are undergoing chiropractic care or physical therapy or have in the past to fix something in your body, you might ask yourself… how did I get there in the first place?
How is my body compensating from an injury that occurred in the past?
Will I be able to stay in alignment and free of injury in the future with my current movement patterns and body mechanics?
In order for the body to maintain proper alignment and in your car all the parts need to be working in harmony. For example if you walk on the outside of your feet chances are you will have some uneven wearing in the knees, hips and even your spine may be affected.
You may think going to the gym or doing the prescribed exercises will get you back on the road, and it may. Will it keep you there? Most people, even athletes, don’t know how to use and strengthen their deep abdominal, “CORE” muscles.
Learn just a few simple exercises to identify, and strengthen your core stabilizing muscles and gain the awareness needed to apply your new-found knowledge to your current strengthening routine.
For some of us who have worn our bodies unevenly for a long time it may take some focused work to change the movement patterns and body mechanics that got your there in the first place. The first step is working with a movement coach and learning to do your exercises with proper positioning, or you may not physically be able to access the muscles you are attempting to strengthen.
Do you want to live life to the fullest, and avoid costly surgeries?
Sign up for a free 30 minute evaluation to see where you might benefit from a deeper understanding of how your body is working or where you might benefit from some deep abdominal strengthening and body awareness.
When you sign up for my free newsletter you will automatically get notified of any workshops or free events I will be doing as well and tips to keep your body in motion and free of pain.
Whatever your body aspires to….make it Happen!
All American Betsy
Improving Golf Swing with Pilates
I recently worked with a client who used to be a very serious golfer.
She quit golf for 10 years. I explained how regular pilates practice could improve her golf swing and overall Improving her game. After consultation, we started work on pelvic stability and spinal mobility using rotation, abdominal, and flexion extension exercises.
I was happy to see for all the movement elements, she worked smart and was consistent in her routine. In the area of her neck and shoulders, however, old habits resurfaced: her upper traps were determined to take over.
We revisited the basics and used scapular depressors to maintain shoulder stability while allowing the scapula to move correctly.
After a tactile cue, she began to understand and feel the expected movement. She got it! My client left excited to enter her next game with new knowledge and passion for a sport she enjoys. With renewed passion for her game, she is going to introduce her eight year old grandson to the sport.
I love my clients!
Do all your body aspires to do . . .
All American Betsy
Poste’s Patio Pilates Class
Thursday, June 14, 2012, by Amy McKeever
PENN QUARTER—Instead of stuffing your face at brunch on Saturday, how about doing some pilates in the courtyard at Poste? And then stuffing your face at brunch immediately afterward? The restaurant launches its Saturday morning “Pilates on the Patio” class this weekend at 10 am for $19 per student. Classes will continue weekly until July 21, and you’re strongly encouraged to eat brunch at Poste afterward from a special “healthy” brunch menu.
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